Chili and Rice Casserole {Freezer Meal}

October is here and school is in full swing. My days are crazy busy with teaching students, managing behaviors, and working with parents. After work several days a week I go to aerobics and by the time I get home I’m exhausted. Somedays I throw something in the slow cooker before I leave in the morning and other days I make a quick and easy dinner. Sometimes I wish I could just pull something out of the freezer and bake it when I get home. That’s where freezer meals come in.

I love making freezer meals. I usually put together a list of 5 or 6, do the grocery shopping, and make them all in one day. Then I freeze them and pull them out all winter long. Most of my freezer meals are comfort food and this Chili and Rice Casserole fits the bill!

I was going to just make chili and freeze it but then I thought I would have to make a side dish with it and that’s a pain. I wanted a one dish meal that I could simply pull out and bake. So I thought a chili casserole with rice would be perfect.

I layered rice in the bottom of a baking dish and then put my homemade chili on top. While that would be tasty enough, a casserole isn’t complete without the cheese! I had several types of Kerrygold cheese on hand and tried three of them with a spoonful of chili. The Kerrygold Aged Cheddar went the best with this dish. It’s rich and creamy flavor goes well with the spicy chili.

The best part of this dish is that I can make it ahead of time and either leave it in the refrigerator over night to bake the next day or freeze it and bake it anytime in the next 6 months. It’s a warm, hearty, and comforting dish perfect for fall or winter.

Hi! I'm Heather Lynne and I love to cook, bake, and read. During the day I'm a special education teacher in an elementary school working with students who have disabilities as well as at risk regular education students. I love working with my students but sometimes my job can get stressful. That's why when I get home I turn into Home Chef Hezzi-D. Read More…